Highs and Lows: After you check in with your child using the "How are you feeling?" chart it's great to get in the habit of asking about Highs and Lows. (Or you can do this as you're walking from their classroom to the KH room). Highs and Lows relates to asking your child about a high point and a low point of their day (or week). I find this a much better way to hear from kids than asking "How was your day/week?" (which usually elicits a quick "fine" response). You can come prepared to share your "high" and "low" and perhaps you'll be surprised how this becomes part of your weekly rhythm of reflecting and sharing. :)
GO F.A.R. EACH WEEK
And while we all have weeks where it feels like we're "striking out", I want to remind you that our goal is to find some balance in each session and go "F.A.R.":
have some Fun
do some Academics
build the Relationship
Take a little inventory of the last few weeks and see if you're focusing more heavily in one area and, if so, strive to balance that out. Are you spending more than 1/3 of your time playing games/outside? Add some Academics back in (I've recently purchased a number of academic/strategy games to help with this)...too much focus on academics and homework? Then make sure you have some Fun this week! We are NOT striving for perfection, but we do want to make sure that all three elements are part of our time equipping, encouraging, and challenging our kids!
TEACHER RESOURCES:
Check out these printable "teacher freebies" as I've set up an account for us. They are cute things to do during the mentoring hour "creative play" segment: http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2013/12/the-best-teacher-freebies-for-december.html
Username: KidsHopeSarah (case sensitive)
password: kidshope
READING & BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Click here for an article on how reading changes a child's brain and for more compelling reasons to read together each week!
CHEATING//WINNING
Does your student cheat on games, or "stretch" the truth? This tends to happen later in the school year when students feel more comfortable with us, and also can point to their insecurities. This short video from the Kids Hope national office might offer some insight and encouragement.
